Method of construction of tunnel lining



DEC. 29, 1970 v, KHODOSH ETAL 3,550,382

METHOD OF CONSTRUCTION OF TUNNEL LINING Filed Feb. 7, 1968 United StatesPatent 3,550,382 METHOD OF CONSTRUCTION OF TUNNEL LINING VladimirAlexandrovich Khodosh, Ul. Burdenko 16/12, kv. 16; Sergei FedorovichSalov, Ul. Akademika Koroleva 9, korpus 2, kv. 284; ValentinAlexandrovich Ivanov, Ul. Konstantinova 4, kv. 25; Evstafy AndreevichVasilenko, Rizhsky proezd 1/5, kv. 50; Leonid Ivanovich Saveliev,Otkrytoe shosse 29, korpus 11, kv. 58; Evgeny Moiseevich Bolotin,Otkrytoe shosse 24, korp. 25, kv. 12; and Leonid KonstantinovichKhaidurov, Otlstrgtoe shosse 24, korp. g, kv. 31, all of Moscow, U. .R.'

Filed Feb. 7, 1968, Ser. No. 703,763 Claims priority, application2U.S.S.R., Feb. 8, 1967, 1 Int. Cl. E01g 5/08; E21d 11/10 US. Cl. 61-454 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A method of constructing a tunnellining is disclosed in which concrete is fed behind an intermittentlyadvancing shield during each successive stage of advancement to form alining along the tunnel as the tunnel is being cut by the shield. Theconcrete is compacted during and by the progressive advance of theshield and a uniform compacting pressure is applied to the concrete withcounter-pressure on the shield and the face of the tunnel at the end ofeach advance of the shield when the latter is stationary.

This invention relates to tunnel construction, and more particularly tomethods of construction of a tunnel lining in the course of tunnelingwith the use of a shield, the concrete mix being compacted by thereactive force of the shield jacks.

Primarily the invention relates to tunnelling in soft soil.

It is known that the material of the tunnel lining (generally concrete)is compacted under the shield shell by a reactive force of the shieldjacks, said reactive force being developed in the course of shieldadvance. However, according to this arrangement, the force of compactiondepends upon the force of shield cutting into the soil, so that theconcrete mix fails to be compacted throughout by a uniform force.Besides, when a certain number of the shield packs are deactivated, forthe purpose of reversing the shield, this results in non-uniformcompaction of the concrete mix in the cross-sectional plane of thetunnel lining.

In mechanized tunnel cutting with the use of the tunnelling shield, afrontal resistance develops which is insufficient for providing a strongand watertight tunnel lining.

It is an object of this invention to eliminate the abovementioneddisadvantages of the conventionally known method of construction of thecast-in-place compacted concrete lining of the tunnel.

In the accomplishment of this object, after each advance of thetunnelling shield through a pre-set length of the tunnel, the concretemix is subjected to additional compaction, known as after-compaction,with the shield bearing against the face of the tunnel.

3,550,382 Patented Dec. 29, 1970 The specific features and advantages ofthis invention will appear more completely from the followingdescription of a typical embodiment thereof which is given by way ofexample with reference to the accompanying drawing, in which:

FIG. 1 shows a tunnelling shield for the construction of tunnels, whichinsures compaction of concrete mix in the course of shield advance; and

FIG. 2 shows the same shield in the course of concrete mixafter-compaction, with the shield bearing against the tunnel face.

First the concrete mix is compacted in the course of advance of theshield (FIG. 1) and rotation of its cutting head 2. At this stage theconcrete mix 3 is compacted under the shell 4 of the shield 1. Followingthe gradual advance of the shield 1, the concrete mix 3 is forced outfrom under the shell 4 into the spaces between the external surface ofsaid shell and the soil. Compaction is effected by a pressure of to 225p.s.i. produced by the reactive force of the shield jacks 5 by means ofthe pressure ring 6.

The lower limit of the pressure depends on the conditions for gradualforcing out of the concrete mix 3 beyond the shield shell, while themaximum pressure is determined by the optimum design characteristics ofthe tunnelling shield with the rotary cutting head 2.

After the tunnelling shield 1 (FIG. 2) advances through the presetlength of the tunnel, the concrete mix 3 is compacted by a specifiedconstant pressure up to 750 atm. uniformly distributed over the entiresection of the lining. Compaction pressure is applied to the concretemix by means of the pressure ring 6 to the reactive force of the shieldjacks 5, said force being developed when the stationary working cuttinghead 2 bears against the tunnel face.

The upper limit of the com action pressure depends on the conditionsproviding a strong and watertight tunnel lining, and with dueconsideration of the design characteristics of the tunnelling shield.

What is claimed is:

1. A method of constructing a tunnel lining, said method comprisingintermittently advancing a tunnelling shield to cut a tunnel insuccessive stages, feeding concrete behind the shield during each stageto form a lining along the tunnel as the tunnel is being cut, compactingthe concrete during and by the progressive advance of the shield duringeach stage, and separately applying a substantially increased uniformcompacting pressure on said concrete with counter pressure on saidshield and the face of the tunnel at the end of each advance of theshield when the latter is stationary, the tunnelling shield beingprovided with a cutting head which rotates during each advance of theshield to cut the tunnel, said cutting head being at rest during theapplication of pressure at the end of each advance of the shield.

2. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the concrete is subjected to acompaction pressure during the advance of the shield of about 75 to 225p.s.i. and a compaction pressure at the end of each advance of theshield of about 750- p.s.i.

3. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the pressure is applied to theconcrete by jacks which are connected to the head and all of which areutilized to develop uniform pressure.

4. A method as claimed in claim 3 wherein the tunnelling shield isprovided with a casing which extends rearwardly and forms an outerlining for the tunnel during the compaction of the concrete when theshield is advanced, the concrete being compacted into a space beneaththe casing during the advance of the shield.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS OTHER REFERENCES 5 German printedapplication 1,206,938, December 1965.

JACOB SHAPIRO, Primary Examiner US Cl. X.R.

